“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
| Greek Term | Transliteration | Parsing | Theological Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| συνετάφημεν | synetaphēmen | Aor. pass. ind., 1st pl. (synthaptomō) | We were co-buried. The syn- prefix emphasizes union with Christ—believers participate in His burial. |
| ηγέρθη | ēgerthē | Aor. pass. ind., 3rd sg. (egeirō) | Was raised. Divine passive—the Father raised Christ. His resurrection is the pattern for ours. |
| δόξης τοῦ πατρός | doxēs tou patros | Gen. fem. sg. + gen. masc. sg. | The glory of the Father. The resurrection is an act of divine glory—the supreme display of God’s power. |
| καινότητι ζωῆς | kainotēti zōēs | Dat. fem. sg. + gen. fem. sg. | Newness of life. The resurrection quality of life—eschatological existence begun in the present. |
| σύμφυτοι | symphytoi | Nom. masc. pl. adj. | Grown together, united. An organic metaphor—believers are grafted into Christ’s death and resurrection. |
| εφάπαξ | ephapax | Adverb | Once for all. The unrepeatable finality of Christ’s death to sin. Echoes the theology of Hebrews. |
The compound verb synetaphēmen (“we were co-buried”) continues the syn- language that dominates this passage. John Murray insists that the burial is not the point of the metaphor but the means to the resurrection: burial confirms the reality of death so that resurrection may follow as a new beginning. The purpose clause (hina) reveals the telos: “in order that we too might walk in newness of life.”
Calvin observes that the resurrection of Christ is effected “by the glory of the Father” (dia tēs doxēs tou patros)—a remarkable phrase suggesting that the totality of God’s glorious attributes was engaged in raising Christ. Lloyd-Jones expanded on this, arguing that the resurrection is the most glorious act in redemptive history, exceeding even creation, because it involves the defeat of sin, death, and the curse simultaneously.
The word symphytoi (“united/grown together”) is an agricultural metaphor describing organic union. Murray notes that this is one of Paul’s strongest expressions for the believer’s solidarity with Christ—not merely legal or forensic but vital and participatory. Thomas Schreiner emphasizes the future certainty: “we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his”—this is not a conditional but an assured consequence of the prior union.
The phrase “our old self was crucified with him” (v. 6) refers, according to Murray, not to the ongoing mortification of sin but to a definitive, past-tense event accomplished in Christ’s death. The “body of sin” (to sōma tēs hamartias) is the whole person as dominated by sin, which has been rendered powerless (katargēthē). Hodge notes that katargeō means “to render inoperative” rather than “to annihilate”—sin’s dominion is broken, though its presence remains until glorification.
Verse 9 makes an extraordinary christological claim: “Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” Murray notes that this does not imply death once had rightful dominion over Christ but that Christ voluntarily submitted to death’s power and has now permanently overcome it. The adverb ephapax (“once for all,” v. 10) underscores the unrepeatable finality of Christ’s sin-bearing death.
The imperative in verse 11 (“logizesthe,” “consider/reckon yourselves”) is the first exhortation in the passage. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this is not auto-suggestion or psychological technique but a command to believe what is objectively true about oneself by virtue of union with Christ. The indicative (what God has done) grounds the imperative (what the believer is to do). Sproul notes that the Reformed ordo salutis places definitive sanctification—the decisive break with sin’s dominion—as an immediate consequence of effectual calling and regeneration, and Romans 6:1–11 is its primary textual basis.
Theological Summary: Romans 6:4–11
This is the most sustained resurrection passage in Romans. Union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection is the ground of definitive sanctification. The believer has been co-crucified and co-buried with Christ; therefore the believer will certainly share in His resurrection life. The resurrection provides both the power for present ethical transformation (‘newness of life’) and the guarantee of future bodily resurrection. The indicative-imperative structure (vv. 1–10 indicative; v. 11 imperative) is paradigmatic for Reformed ethics.